Aviation garment



Sept. 23, 1941. J. R. c. QUILTER ET AL 4 v 2,25

I AVIATION GARMENT Filed Jan. 6, 1940 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN vsnrpks v fikrv RC..QU('ZZP Gar-gory Arrow/wk r.

: P Z I J. R. c. QUILTER; EI'AL 2,256,597

,AVIATION GARMENT Filed Jan. 6, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 23, 1941. J. R. c. 2UILTER ET-AL AVIATION GARMENT Filed Jan 6, 1940 s Sheets-Sheet 5 l NVEIVTORG JFuz/ P. C! Quilter Gr-cyozy Patented Sept. 23, 1941 AVIATION GARMENT John Raymond 'Cuthbert Quilter and James Gregory, Woking, England Application January 6, 1940, Serial No. 312,786 In Great Britain May 9, 1939 v 13 Claims.

tage of being difiicult to attach in an emergency,

particularly when the aircraft is in an inverted position, or spinning out of control.

A main object of the present invention is to provide an improved parachute pack for aviators, which is both comfortable and convenient, allowing the wearer to pass through restricted openings with little or no encumbrance, so that it can be worn continually and thus kept instantly ready for use in an emergency.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved parachute pack which fits within the back portion of a flying suit or like garment, this pack being detachably connected to the harness, whether the latter be located in the lining of the garment or worn beneath the garment.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved flying suit or like garment in which the main parachute is stowed at least partly in one or more pockets below the waist level, so as to form a soft padded seat-cushion for the wearer without producing external projections likely to hinder his movements when walking or running.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description, given with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a rear elevation of one form of garment embodying the present invention, minor parts being broken away to disclose the construction.

Fig. 2 is a detail in section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the back of the garment with its closure flaps released, the pilot parachute being represented diagrammatically as having been expelled by its opening spring upon the release of the external,

flaps.

Fig. 4 is a similar view Withthe closure flaps open and partly broken away to show the space within the back of the garment prior to the packing of the parachutes.

- flaps 0 may be opened out wide, as represented in takes the form of a sleeveless coat 0 having short trouser-like legs I), the back portion being arranged to contain the main and pilot parachutes which are normally coveredby flaps, the latter comprising a pair of main closure flaps c and two smaller external flaps d, as best seen in Fig. 1. The flaps c are attached in the manner of patch pockets to'the main portion'of the coat, their outer edges being sewn thereto adjacent to the side seams e beneath the arm holes f, and up to the top of the shoulders as indicated at (1 their lower ends are sewn to the leg portions b, just above the lower edges of the latter, as indicated at 71 as well as around the crotch for a sufficient height upwards (as indicated at g) to provide two pockets it within which the main parachute canopy i can be stowed, at least partly. From just above the highest point g of the central attachment g, the two main closure flaps c overlap one another, their edges being provided (see Figs. 3 and 4) with eyelets c in registering positions; above these eyelets, the flaps are continued up beyond the waist line and as far as the shoulders, their adjacent edges being connected together for example by a sliding clasp fastener as indicated at 9'. When this fastener is released, the closure Fig. 4, to facilitate the folding and packing of the main parachute and shroud lines. The slider 7' of the fastener 7' is preferably of the detachable type, anchored by a tape F, as shown in Fig. 4, the slider being removed from the lower end of the fastener and stowed together with its tape a in a In the construction illustrated, the garment pocket at the top of the garment after the fastener is closed; the bottom end of the closed fastener is then temporarily secured by a tack or stitch in order to keep it closed, this tack yielding to the pull of the lift straps when the parachute opens. The top edges of the flaps are also shown as detachably secured to the inner portion of the garment by press studs 0 these edges being normally covered by a pillow member 1a containing an inflatable bag for life-saving purposes.

Upon the exterior of the main closure flaps 0, two smaller flaps d are provided, attached to the main firms at their outer edges (1 and having their overlapping inner edges provided (see Figs. 3 and 4) with eyelets d in positions registering with the eyelets c of the main flaps. These several eyelets are adapted to engage upon locking cones I attached to the base of the pack, which is supported on the back of the garment at about. the waist level and within the space enclosed bythe main flaps c; the inner edge of the outermost flap dis provided with an extension (2 which fold over to cover the rip-cord after its pins r have been engaged in the cones l, the extension d being then secured by a sliding clasp fastener 11 (see Fig. 1). The pack is preferably arranged as shown in Fig. 4, the shroud lines m running be- Fig. 4,. one pair on opposite sides of the center line, approximately at or just above the waist level, and another pair lower down but clear oi the actual seat, so that the wearer sits comfortably upon the canopy stowed in the two pockets h and not upon-the tapes 1:, shroud lines m and locking cones l.

The following method of packing the folded main canopy into the container may be adopted:-After the shroud lines m connected to the lift straps s have been folded sigzag in the conventional manner and engaged in the looped tapes 1 on the back of the garment, the peripheral portion of the canopy i together with the shroud-like attachments thereto is pushed down into one of the container pockets it, this pocket being on the left side of the several figures, and the remainder of the canopy s then folded over below the bottom locking cone 1 and across the crotch portion of the garment, and down into the pocket 7:. on the opposite side where it forms a loop i as indicated in chain-lines m Fig. 3. It then continues upwards at i across the top at 2' above the upper locking cone 1, and down the other side at i; the folding ends with the vented center of the canopy lying at i in the middle of the space or container, directly behind the shroud line support, this portion of the canopy being spread out more or less flat so as to reduce the thickness at this position, before securing the flaps c. The center part of the canopy projecting between these flaps is protected by a. sheath or stocking o surrounding the pilot parachute cord p and the looped dome-portions of the main shrouds m, the end 0 of this sheath being made elastic (as by an enclosed rubber band) and fitting tightly around the folded center of the canopy.

After the main closure flaps e have been drawn together over the parachute and located by means of the eyelets 0 upon the cones t attached to the base of the pack, the small covering flap d on one side is drawn over and engaged with the cones l in a similar way; the pilot parachute q is then introduced under this flap, after closing its spring. The cord p connecting the pilot parachute to the main parachute is shown fitted with a kicker-board q against which the opening spring bears.so as to distribute the spring pressure upon the back of the garment; this prevents the spring from inconveniencing the wearer by prodding him in the back. The other small flap dis then drawn over and locked to the cones l by the rip-cord pins 1'. The ripcord is enclosed in a tubular seam or housing 1' sewn upon one of the main closure flaps c, this tubular seam rising from a point adjacent to the top edge of the small flaps d and curving over sideways to pass under the left arm to the usual position of the rip-cord handle upon the chest of the wearer.

When the rip-cord of the parachute is operated, the spring-loaded pilot parachute q which is packed separately from the main canopy, jumps 2,256,597 out from under the two small flaps d and begins drawing the main canopy into the airstream. After this, the deployment of the main parachute takes place in the usual manner.

The advantage of having the bulky part of the canopy packed down in pockets at the back of the thighs and across the seat below the waistlevel is very apparent in practice, as regards the resultant thin pack, and the comfort of sitting is enhanced by the padded silk across the seat. The absolute flexibility of this parachute pack makes it possible for a parachute to be worn all the time by observers without the least encumbrance or restriction of movement.

The harness is preferably located in the lining of the suit, the lift straps only being shown at s in Fig. 4.

The invention may also be applied to a garment in the form of a coat having a skirt extending down to the knees, in which case the main closure flaps 0 may be arranged to constitute an outer skirt over the back half of the garment; this outer skirt may then be divided to provide the two separate pockets h below the point g as above described, or, arranged to provide a single pocket at the lower edge of the skirt.

' What we claim is:

1. An aviators garment forming a parachute pack, comprising a back portion, two main flaps attached laterally to said backportion with their free edges meeting in the middle of said back portion, said main flap forming with said back portion a container having a pair of separate pockets divided below the waist level, said separate pockets adapted to receive connected parts of a folded mainparachute stowed in said container, two external flaps attached laterally to said main flaps with their free edges meeting over the free edges of said main flaps, said external flaps forming with said main flaps a container for a pilot parachute, and releasable means en-' gaging said meeting edges for holding said main and external flaps in position to cover said main and pilot parachutes.

'2. An aviators garment forming a parachute pack, comprising a back portion, a parachute container attached to said back portion, said container extending from the shoulders to below the waist level of said garment, independent means for closing-the upper and the lower portions of said container, a shroud-line support attached to said back portion within the lower portion of said container, said support being located at about the waist level of said garment, means for enclosing a pilot parachute on the exterior of said container at about the level of said support, and releasable means for holding the lower portion of said container and said enclosing means in closed condition. y

3. An aviation garment forming a parachute ,pack, comprising a back portion, main flaps at,-

container, said holding means including releasable devices controlled by a rip cord.

4. An aviation garment forming a parachute pack, comprising a back portion, a centrally divisible cover attached laterally to said back portion, said back portion and cover forming a parachute container providing a wide space at about the waist level of said garment and two narrower spaces lying below said waist level, a

flaps attached laterally to-the exterior of said cover at about the level of ,aid support, and

means for holding said flaps together to form an outer cover for a pilot parachute stowed behind said parachute container, said holding means including releasable devices controlled from the front of said garment.

5. An aviation garment forming a parachute pack, comprising a back portion, centrally separable flaps attached laterally to said back portion, said back portion and flaps forming a parachute container including two pockets extending below the waist and behind the thighs of a wearer, a shroud-line support attached to said back portion within said container, said support being located at about the waist level of a wearer, external flaps attached laterally to the exterior of said centrally separable flaps at about the level of said support, and releasable means for holding said external flaps together to form a cover for a pilot parachute stowed behind said container.

6. An aviators garment forming a parachute pack, said garment including a back portion and two leg portions, two centrally separable main flaps attached laterally to said back portion, independent fastening means for connecting the upper and the lower portions of said main flaps, said main flaps forming with said back and leg portions 8. pocketed container for a main parachute, two external flaps attached to said main flaps, said external flaps forming with said main flaps a container for a pilot parachute, and releasable means for holding the lower portions of said main flaps and said external flaps connected respectively together and in position to cover the respective parachutes.

7. An aviators coat forming a Parachute pack, said coat including a back portion, a divisible cover attached laterally to said back portion, said back portion and cover forming a container extending below the waist level of said coat and providing space for stowing a main parachute, a shroud-line support attached to said back portion within said container, two flaps attached laterally to the exterior of said cover, and means for holding said flaps together to form-an outer cover for a pilot parachute stowed V behind said container.

pack, comprising a back portion, centrally separable main flaps attached laterally to said back portion, said main flaps forming with said back portion a container for a main parachute, said container including two pockets extendingbehind the thighs of a wearer, means for fastening the upper portions of said main flaps, other means for fastening the lower portions of said main flaps above said pockets, external flaps attached to the lower portions of said main flaps, and means for fastening said extemal'flaps to cover a pilot parachute stowed behind said con tainer, disengagement of the last-mentioned fastening means together with said other fastening means operating to release both parachutes.

10. An aviation garment forming a parachute pack, comprising a back portion, centrally separable main flaps attached laterally to said back portion, said main flaps forming with said back portion a container for a main parachute, means for fastening together the upper portions of said main flaps, other means for fastening together the lower portions of said main flaps, the separation of both upper and lower portions ,of said main flaps enabling the stowing of said parachute in said container, the separation of only said lower portions of said. main flaps enabling the withdrawal of said parachute from said container, external flaps attached to the lower portions of said main flaps, additional means for fastening said external flaps together to enclose a pilot parachute stowed behind said container, and releasable means for holding the lower portions of said main flaps and said external flaps in fastened condition.

11. An aviation garment forming a parachute pack, comprising a back portion, centrally separable main flaps attached laterally to said back portion, said main flaps forming with said back portion a container for a main parachute, means.

for fastening together the upper portions of said main flaps, other means for fastening together the lower portions of said main flaps, the separationoi' both upper and lower portions of said main flaps enabling the stowing of said parachute in said container, the separation of only saidlower portions of said main flaps enabling the withdrawal of said parachute from said container, external flaps attached to the lower portions of said main flaps, additional means for fastening said external flaps together to enclose a pilot parachute stowed behind said container, and releasable means for holding the lower portions of said main flaps and said external flaps in fastened condition, the release of the last-mentioned means causing disengagement of said other and additional fastening means and the release of both parachutes, and the first-mentioned fastening means yielding to the pull exerted by said main parachute.

12. An aviation garment forming a parachute pack, comprising a back portion, centrally separable main flaps attached laterally to said back flaps attached to the exterior of said cover, and

means for holding said flaps together to form an outer cover for a pilot parachute stowed behind said container.

portion, said main flaps forming with said back portion a container for a main parachute, means for fastening together the upper portions of said main flaps, other means for fastening together the lower portions of said main flaps, external flaps attached laterally to the lower portions of said main flaps, means for fastening said external flaps together to cover a pilot parachute stowed behind said container, shroud line supports attached to said back portion within said container and at about the waist level of said gar- 9. An aviation garment forming a parachute 7 ment, and releasable means for holding the lower portions of said main flaps and said external flaps in fastened condition, the release of the lastmentioned means causing release of both parachutes, and the first-mentioned fastening means for the upper portions or said main flaps yielding -to the pull of the shroud lines when withdrawn by said main parachute.

13. An aviation garment forming aparachute pack, said garment comprising a back portion, and a container attached to said back portion, said container having a substantially continuous JOHN RAYMOND CU'I'HBERT QUILTER. JAMES GREGORY. 

